Line position control device for paper forms



c. R: DOTY June 2, 1942. pnn POSITION CONTROL DEVICE FOR PAPER FORMS Filed April 6, 1940 fl/IQVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

L Patented dune 2, 1942 1 LINE rosrrroN rare counonnnv'rcn r'on aromas Charleen Doty, Yonkers, N. Y., asslgnorto -Intel-national Busineu Maehin V New York, N. Y., a corporation or New York, s

Q ApplicationApril 6,"1940-, Serial No. 328,305

es Corporation,

5 Claims. (01. 191-5) :This invention relates to a method for taining continuous forms of paper or the like operating in diflerent printing machines in a predetermined relationship with respect to the printing line of eachmachine, so that similar printed records are efiected simultaneously on I correspondingportions of p the forms in each machine. v I In omce work where it isdesirable to obtain a plurality of identical printed records without resorting .to carbon copies, a customary procedure is to connect one or more typewriters for control I by a master typewriter.-- Continuous paper forms are connected withthe paper feed devices of each machine incorresponding relationship and paper feeding is controlled by thelusual carriage illustrated in the lemming drawing which discloses, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been 7 contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a portion of the typewriter mech- I anism including the printing actuating means and the control cam and the platen. v Fig. 2 is a schematic wiring diagram or the return key. Should any of the forms get out of step with the term in the. master typewriter, there is often considerable nuisance and loss of time in getting it back in proper relationship. It

. will be appreciated that this difliculty is apt to be even more a source of bother if the various typewriters are located atconsiderable distanc Irom themaster typewriter.

It is therefore the general object or the invention to provide, in a multiiorm printing system,

an improved method for maintaining a corresponding operating relationship among the paper.

forms operati g in diilerent printingv machines including a novel correction control means for re-establishing that relationship should the iorms for any reason get out of step. According to'the invention, a cam and 'a set of control contacts are associated with each typewriter, the cam being geared for rotation by the same mechanism which drives the platens oi the typewriters. The contacts are arranged to be operated once each revolution of their. related cam, i.e., once each revolution of the platen. Depression of a special control button causes aseries of impulses to be i sent out over a common line connecting the various typewriters. Should any or the typewriters be lagging in so far as the paper feed is concerned, it is promptly brought up to the proper position as determined by the master typewriter. at any 01 the secondary typewriters gets ahead of the form in the master typewriter, it is automatically caused to" wait for the master form.'

By this simple arrangement the operator of the master typewriter-may conveniently keep the contacts associated with control for keeping paper forms oftwo different typewriters in a fixed relationship.-

For illustrative purposes, this invention is shown as embodying a well-known type or power operated typewriter such as that shown and de-' scribed in detail in the. United States Patent No.

1,777,055, issued to Russell G. Thompson and dated September 30, 1930.

Referring now to Fig. 1, well-known means are provided for actuating the type bars l6, com-- prising aconstantly rotating roller l0, cooperatwith a series of individual power units each comprising a cam H, the engagement of the cams with the roller being controlled selectively by the character key bars I].

Any suitable means maybe provided to rotate the power roller, in the direction indicated by the arrow, which is adapted to cooperate with two rows of cam units arranged in the front and. rear of the roller. The cam ll may be pivoted on one arm of a'bell crank lever- I2 whichin turn is pivoted to the frameof the machine, as indicated generally by reference character l3, the other armof the said bell crank lever being operatively connected with an arm of thebell crank lever ll by means of link I5. Another arm of the said lever 14 is connected to the type bars IS in a well-knownmanner, so as to effect operation of In the event that the paper form printed forms in the other typewriters in proper relationship.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following'description and claims and the type bars or any other suitablemeans connected to the bell crank levers upon selective operation or the controlling key bars 11.

The pivoted bell crank lever i1 is operated by the associated cam .li whenever the latter engages the driven roller; the engagement of the cam with the roller is controlled by means of the associated control key bar H in a manner which will nowbe briefly described.

An impeller-arm ll associated withcam II is urged by the associated coil spring is against one of the impeller-lugs 20, which at the time is in 'the lower position, andtends to turn the cam'in aclockwisedirection. This is prevented, how ever, by the engagement of one of the detents' "llonthecmwiththeupperstoplug 22 onthe stop lever 23. If, however, the corresponding key tension arm2l associated with one of the said key, bars ll engages an arm '25 at; the upper end of the stop lever 23 which is providedwith an offset projection at its end extending laterally,

through an opening in the bell crank lever I 2. The arm 25 of the stop lever 23 is then swung rearwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 about the cam, which then turns under the influence of the spring urged impeller-arm l8. In doing so bar is operated, the bifurcated lower end of exthe pivot 28 and its lower end forwardly or to .the' right as viewed in this figure, thus releasing the upper serrated lobe of the cam is brought into engagement with the power roller, which turns in a counterclockwise direction and therefore causes a continued rolling movement of the cam until the high point has been reached and passed.

This causes the whole cam unit to swing around the pivot- I3 so as to pull down the corresponding link and actuate one of the type bars or any other mechanism with which the cam unit' ma be connected.

After the high point of the cam is passed the impeller-arm It tends to continue the rotation thereof by engaging the second impeller-lug 29 'of cam ll until the second detent 21 engages one of the stop lugs. Since the half rotation of .the cam consumes only a small fraction of a. second, it is difficult to release the key bar within this cam loses contact with the roller, but the said Depression 'of key bar ll provides the necessary motion through bifurcated arm 21a and arm 25a to move the stop lever 23a tothe right,

and hence to pe'rmitthe impeller arm Ila to engage the impeller lug 20a for urging the cam ll into engagement with the power roller it under theimpetus of the coil spring I941. Cam 4 then turns with the roller I. for .one revolution during which time the bell crank lever [2a is rocked simply causes a line space to occur.

, It will be noted that earn 44, which rotates a complete revolution upon its release, is provided with only one detent (2Ia). The structure of the single lobe cam unit further differs from that described for cam ll and over the customary carriage return control mechanism in that only one stop lug (22a)' is provided .on stop lever 22a. This special change in the usual structure, for

- purposes which will become apparent later'-here-' in, permits cam 44 to makerepeatednevolutlons during the continued depression of carriage return key lever ll by virtue of the fact that the stop lug 22a clears the detent 2lc aslong as lever short interval, so that it is the lower lug-28 which is first engaged, but upon the release of the key bar and the return of the stop lever 23 V to normal position,- this lug 28 disengages the detent, whereupon the impeller-arm rotates the cam slightly, and the said detent then engages the upper stop lug 22,

It is obvious then that depression of a key bar releases the revolubly mounted cam to engage and be actuated by the power roller in turn operating the associated bell crank lever and its attached links to cause the associated mechanism 7 suchas the type bars and other operating mechanisms to be operated. It is to be understood that 'an individual cam unit is provided for each type bar or other functional mechanism associated therewith.

The action of the cam mechanism has been described with respect to one of the rear bank of cam units; in thecaseof those of the forward bank the operation is analogous, but the directions of movement and theorder of operation of the stop lugs is reversed. 1

" vention. For a description of the carriage return mechanism per se reference should he made to U. 8. Patent No. 1,735,450. According to Fig.'

1, this mechanismds controlled by a carriage return key bar II which maybe depressed manually or by virtue of the energization of a connected solenoid it as described-later. The said key bar controls a single lobe cam 44, the mechanism associated with this cam being connected for operation of the carriage return apparatus (not 3 shown) through the medium of link 45.

Al is in the depressed condition. Upon release of lever ll, lug 22a is returned to its normal position in the path of detent, 2la so as to latch up the cam when the detent comes into engagement withthelug',

The operations involved in the control of the carriage return and printing mechanism having nowbeen described, it will be understood that if two or more of these typewriters are to be con:

nected for printing the same information on different continuous forms, controllmeans: must be provided for maintaining those printed forms in corresponding relationship in order to obtain satisfactory results This control means is illustratedschematically in Fig. 2, where a remotely located typewriter is shown under control of the master typewriter. The master station is indi cated generally. at M and the .remote station at R.

I It will benoted that in the upper part of Fig. -1 a platen 50 is provided with pins 5| protrud ing therefrom adapted. to fit in spaced holes along the edges of continuous paper forms in the well-known mannerto insure positive paper feeding upon spacing of the platen. Integral with the platen 'is a gear 52 which meshes with another gear 53 so as to drive a cam "in the direction indicated by the arrow as the platen is advanced. Gear 53 and cam 54 are fastened together and are rotatably mounted on'a shaft 55 which is attached to the frame ofthe machine. The cam is circular with the exception of a single high point 55 on its periphery which is arranged to effect the opening of a set-of normally closed contacts '58, 51 located in the path of rotation thereof and mounted in a convenient manner on the frame of the machine, but ohviously enough insulated from the frame and from cam 54 by suitable insulating material.

It will be understood that continuous paper strips are inserted in the machines at the start of operations in such a manner that the contacts are in the open position for the starting line of one of the forms of each strip The gear ratio between gears 52 and 53 is chosen inaccordance with the size of the individual forms-so that one revolution of cam 54 corresponds to the distance from the starting line of one form to the start- 2,285,258 ing line of the next. Thus, a definite relationship between the position of the'paper and the condition of the contacts is established for each machine. Thenormal carriage return mechanism may effect line spacing of the machines at stations M and R in the customary manner.

Assume, however, that a portion of a particular form has been typed at each station and that 'either a mistake has been made or for some reason the next printed information is desired to be placed on the starting line of the next form. In situations of this nature the utility of the present invention is best revealed and the circuits which bring aboutthe desired results a will now beset forth.

Upon depression of a button 59 located nea the master typewriter, a circuit is completed from the negative side of the battery B through button contacts GI, 62, cam contacts 56, 51' assumed now to be closed since the form is in other than starting line position, carriage return solenoid Ill, relay coil 10, to positive side of battery B. -The circuit just traced causes energization of the relay to close its contact switch 10g and complete a circuit from negative side of battery B, resistance 1, switch 10a, cam contacts 16, 51, carriage return solenoid 80, relay 10, to

positive side of battery B. The carriage return solenoid is thusenergized to cause repeated car.-

riage return operations under control of the single lobe cam 44, as previously described, until cam 54 opens contacts 58, 51 to break the circuit. Simultaneously with depression of the button 59, contacts 53, 84, also close and a circuit is completed to the remote typewriter in a similar manner, first picking up relay III to close its associated contact switch lfl'a and then providing a holding circuit through the carriage return solenoid 60' and the relay 10' until the cam 54' opens its contacts 56', 51' to break the circuit.

An extra set of contacts B8381 located so as to be operated by the cam 54' when the high and substitutions and'changes in therorm and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as. indicated by the scope of the followin claims.

What is claimed is: a 1. In apparatus for maintaining registration of record strips in a plurality of-printing devices, each device cooperating with a contin'umrs strip divided into forms with a starting line position on .each form; strip feeding means for feeding each of said strips relative to said printing devices to receive printed records in cflflerent locations thereon, individual means controlled by the feeding means in timed relation with the feeding of the strips to indicate when the startual operation of the strip feeding means, and -means controlled by the individual indicating 'ing lines of the forms on said strips are opposite theprinting devices, a common control means responsive to manual operation to effect contin means for automatically rendering the control means ineffective to cause further operation of each of said strips by the feeding means after 1 the starting line on a form of said strip has arrived opposite its related printing device.

point of the cam reaches'the position shown in Fig. 2. The latter contacts, upon closure, complete a simple circuit from positive side of battery BI via wire 68 to contacts 663 61 now closed, wire 89, indicating lamp L to negative side of battery BI. The lighting of lamp L at the master typewriter indicates that the cam 54 of the secondary typewriter is in the position shown. The operator may visually check as to whether the master machine is in the position shown and, since the indicating lamp signifies,

that thesecondary machine is in corresponding position, operations may then continue with the operator being assured that the printing on the continuous forms at each typewriter is effected on corresponding printing lines thereof.

Although the control for only two machines has been disclosed in Fig. 2, it will beappreciated that. a great number of machines may be controlled from the master machine by-simply I increasing the number of contacts which are operatedby the button 59 and adding circuits for each machine similar to those shown in this iigure. Should'the number of contacts become very large under this method, provision may be made to obviate such a di'fiiculty in permutation arrangements in any well known manner without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

While there has been shown and described 2. In an apparatus for maintaining the ment of record strips in a plurality of printing devices, said record strips being in the nature of interconnected forms associated with said devices for receiving printed records, each form having a starting line position thereon; the combination of line spacing means and control means'therefor for causing line spacing of said dividual indicating means for automatically ren dering the auxiliary control means ineiiective to cause further line spacing of each strip upon arrival of the starting line on a form of said strip opposite its related printing device,

3. In an apparatus for maintaining the alignment of record strips in a plurality of printing devices, said record strips being in the nature of a plurality of interconnected forms associated with said devices for receiving printed records, each form having a starting line position thereon; the combination of individual line spacing means and common control means therefor for causing normal line spacing of said strips as required forthe spacing of the printed records,

special control circuits for the individual line spacing means including a common circuit closing means responsive to' manual operation for closing said circuits to eflect sustained line spacing of the said strips by the said. line spacing means, a set of normally closed contactsin each and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it, will be understood that various omissions of said circuits, and means movable in synchronism with each of the line spacing means for opening the associated special control circuit to prevent further line spacing'ot each strip as said strip arrives, at the starting line position,

regardless of the continued manual operation of the circuit closing means, 4. In apparatus comprising a plurality oi.

printing devices with rotatable platens adapted to receive record-strip in the nature 01' a plurality of interconnected-forms, each form having -a starting line position thereon; the combination of individual line spacing means. for said' platens, normal control means cooperating with saidline' spacing means for rotating the platens so ,as to line space the strips at the diflerent printing devices 'in corresponding relationship, a rotatable cam geared to each platen for rotationtherewith, the gear ratio being such that one revolution of the cam corresponds to the line spacing of a strip from the starting line .position of one form to the starting line position of the next 'form, auxiliary control means also cooperating with the line spacing means including a plurality of circuits, one for each printing device, and a common control switch adapted to be called into operation manually to complete said circuits to eilect continued rotation ot-said platens, and a set of normally closed con- 7 record strips in printing devices at remotely located stations so that like records may be printed thereon, said strips being divided into a plurality of continuous forms, eachform having a starting line position; the combination of individual feeding means for -eaid strips at each station, means controlled by each of the feeding means in timed relation with the feeding of the strips for indicating when the starting line of a strip arrives opposite its rela'ted device, acommon control means at the first station operable manually to cause sustained operation of the individual feeding means at each station, means controlled by the starting line indicating means of each device for rendering each individual feeding means ineffective upon arrival of the corresponding'strip in a starting line position,

and means further controlled by the starting line indicating means of the device at a second station as an incident to the operation thereof for signalling to the first station that the strip at v the second station has arrived in starting line position.

' CHARLES R.

" 5. In apparatus for maintaining alignment oi' 

